Department for Transport

Bus Services: Finance

Lord Goddard of Stockport: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to propose further fiscal measures to widen bus use, such as supporting (1) reduced, or (2) free, fares for everyone (a) under 21, or (b) in full-time education.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department currently has no plans to offer universal free or reduced fares specifically to those under 21 or in full-time education.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

New Businesses: Finance

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to improve the current funding system for start-up companies.

Lord Callanan: The Start Up Loans Company, part of the British Business Bank, provides loans to new businesses of between £500 and £25,000 at a fixed interest rate of 6 per cent. Since 2012, the Start Up Loans programme has delivered over 98,000 loans across the UK, with a total value of over £913 million (September 2022). At the Spending Review in 2021, my Rt. Hon. Friend the then Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced an expansion of the scheme with funding for around 11,000 loans a year. Eligibility has also been enhanced, with access to Start Up Loans for businesses up to three years old and follow-on loans for businesses up to five years old.

Drax Power Station: Timber

Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Drax about the sustainability of their supply chains in relation to the cutting down of primary forests.

Lord Callanan: The UK only supports sustainable biomass use which can deliver genuine Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions savings compared to fossil fuels. Ofgem is responsible for auditing the sustainability of biomass used by biomass electricity generators which receive support under the Renewables Obligation and has a process in place for this.

Biofuels: Prices

Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the projected impact of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) on household energy bills.

Lord Callanan: The Government is developing a response to its consultation on the terms of support for power BECCS. A key factor in assessing these terms is affordability for consumers and no decision has yet been taken on how power BECCS will be funded. The response will be published in 2023.

Department of Health and Social Care

Tomography: Finance

Lord Warner: To ask His Majesty's Government how much of NHS England's capital expenditure in the financial years (1) 2019–20, (2) 2020–21, and (3) 2021–22, went on (a) new imaging equipment, and (b) elective surgery capacity.

Lord Markham: The information on elective surgery capacity is not held in the format requested. However, the following table shows capital expenditure on new imaging equipment and urgent emergency care which supported elective surgery capacity in National Health Service providers in England in 2019/20 and 2020/21. 2019/202020/21New imaging equipment£64,314,000£94,683,000Urgent emergency care which supported elective surgery capacity£56,931,000£391,755,000 Notes:The expenditure shown for new imaging equipment consists of all funding granted by the diagnostic screening programme. However, it does not include investment in imaging equipment NHS trusts made using operational capital or COVID-19 funds.The expenditure for urgent emergency care which supported elective surgery capacity was classified as accident and emergency upgrades and urgent emergency care programmes. Financial information for 2021/22 is currently being audited and will be published in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts.

Patient Choice Schemes

Lord Warner: To ask His Majesty's Government what plansthey have regularly to measure public awareness of patients’ right to choose where they receive their NHS consultant-led treatment.

Lord Markham: The Manage Your Referral (MYR) NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS) survey enables patients who have used e-RS for elective referrals for directly bookable services to record their experience of a choice of elective care provider. The survey includes a question which measures whether patients are aware of the choices available for the location of a first outpatient appointment. The MYR e-RS survey is currently active and data is continuously collected and reviewed. The specific questions relating to patients’ choices and awareness levels are currently being reviewed to ensure we understand their experiences.

Nurses: Training

Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to attract more people, including those in the mid or late stages of their career, into the nursing profession.

Lord Markham: Nursing degree students can access non-repayable grants of at least £5,000 per year, with further financial support available for childcare, accommodation, and travel costs. The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service’s data shows that the number of people aged 21 years old and over applying to nursing courses increased by 29% between 2019 and 2020 and a further 14% between 2020 and 2021. In 2020, the blended learning nursing degree was launched to ensure those who may be unable to study in the traditional way can access routes into the nursing profession. We have also expanded nursing apprenticeships, including a pathway from healthcare assistant to registered nurse. In October, the National Health Service launched a national recruitment campaign to promote careers in nursing.

Embryos

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Kamall on 11 November (HL3361),how many human embryos were (1) deliberately destroyed, and (2) transferred to uteri to establish pregnancies, in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many human embryos have been (a) deliberately destroyed, and (b) transferred to uteri since such procedures were made legal.

Lord Markham: The following table shows the number of embryos discarded and transferred to uteri to establish pregnancies from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020. The data is the latest information available on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority’s (HFEA) register database on 2 November 2022. MonthEmbryos discardedEmbryos transferredJanuary 202011,0054,716February 202015,7436,978March 202014,4325,228April 20202,870283May 20201,82285June 20206,8943,110July 202013,4586,185August 202014,5786,228September 202014,2386,283October 202014,6096,812November 202016,8806,988December 202010,0204,868Total136,54957,764 Source: HFEAThe following table shows the cumulative figures for the number of human embryos which have been discarded and transferred to uteri from 1 August 1991 to 31 December 2020. This includes additional validated data from previous years.Total number of embryos discarded3,242,868Total number of embryos transferred2,114,213Source: HFEA

Ministry of Justice

Mental Capacity: Payments

Baroness Altmann: To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to publish their response to the Mental Capacity Act: Small Payments Scheme, which closed on 12 January, to help disabled families access Child Trust Funds.

Lord Bellamy: We are preparing the Government's response to the consultation and are aiming to provide an update to the House in the near future. The consultation exposed a number of issues which warranted further consideration, especially in relation to the design, security, simplicity and effectiveness of a scheme when compared to existing processes. In the meantime we have been collaborating with the Court of Protection to improve access to payments under current legislation, and pilot processes and documentation are currently being developed.

Department for International Trade

Forced Labour

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the legislative proposal from the European Commission to ban the marketing of goods made with forced labour; and whether they plan to introduce such a ban in the UK.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Import of Products of Forced Labour from Xinjiang (Prohibition) Bill 2021–22; and whether they plan to ban products of forced labour from Xinjiang.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government has serious concerns about the situation in Xinjiang. Robust action has been taken to help ensure that no British organisations are profiting from or are contributing to human rights violations in Xinjiang. We have, amongst other actions, introduced guidance on the risks of doing business in Xinjiang, led a ministerial campaign of business engagement to reinforce the need for UK business to act and have announced our intention to introduce financial penalties for businesses that do not comply with their transparency obligations under the Modern Slavery Act. Import bans are one of a range of tools that could be used to tackle forced labour in global supply chains, and we continue to keep this policy response under close review.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Russia: Armed Conflict

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Russian activity in Kaliningrad and the possible implications for neighbouring countries.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Kaliningrad is part of the Russian Federation. We will continue to work closely with partners, including those across Europe, to strengthen security in the region.

Russia: Natural Gas

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the statement by Vladimir Putin at the Russian Energy Week event in Moscow on 12 October about deliveries of gas to European countries via surviving pipelines.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has been clear of the need to phase out the use of Russian gas. Russia has demonstrated it can never again be trusted as a reliable energy provider, regardless of the supply route. We are working with international partners to secure alternative energy supplies as quickly as possible, and it is clear that renewables and nuclear offer the most reliable way to secure our long-term energy security and prosperity.

Nord Stream Pipelines

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the cause of the damage to Nord Stream gas pipelines; and what evidence they are using as part of that assessment.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: All currently available information indicates that this damage is the result of sabotage. The UK and G7 leaders have been clear: we condemn any deliberate disruption of critical infrastructure.Intentional damage to civilian infrastructure is reckless and irresponsible. The leaks not only caused risks to shipping but also substantial environmental damage in the Baltic Sea. The UK supports the investigations by Denmark, Sweden and Germany and stand ready to provide necessary support.

Nord Stream Pipelines

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask His Majesty's Government whatresources they are providing to support the investigations into the damage to the Nord Stream gas pipelines.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: All currently available information indicates that this damage is the result of sabotage. The UK and G7 leaders have been clear: we condemn any deliberate disruption of critical infrastructure.Intentional damage to civilian infrastructure is reckless and irresponsible. The leaks not only caused risks to shipping but also substantial environmental damage in the Baltic Sea.The UK supports the investigations by Denmark, Sweden and Germany and stand ready to provide necessary support.

Rayan Suleiman

Baroness Sheehan: To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they plan to make to the government of Israel to support the investigation of the death of Rayan Suleiman, a Palestinian boy who died in Tequa in the West Bank after reportedly being chased by Israeli soldiers.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We regularly raise the issue of the high numbers of Palestinians killed and injured by Israeli Defence Forces in the West Bank and Gaza with the Israeli authorities. We encourage them to carry out swift, transparent and thorough investigations and, if wrongdoing is found, that those responsible be held to account. We will continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, particularly the need to protect children, and urge restraint in the use of live fire.

World Bank

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government when they last assessed the World Bank’s use of donations from the Official Development Assistance budget; and what conclusions they reached from this.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: In 2022, the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) scored UK's support to the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA) as green/amber. This view is supported by FCDO which monitors and shapes Bank operations at the World Bank Board and in borrower countries.In 2021, during IDA20 replenishment negotiations, FCDO ensured IDA priorities are well-aligned with UK's aims for its Official Development Assistance (ODA) including on gender, disability and fragility. IDA and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development were judged as value for money for UK ODA in business cases (IDA 2021, IBRD 2018).In internal 2021 IDA19 and 2020 IBRD Annual Reviews both programmes met expectation.

Development Aid

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of the Official Development Assistance budget is paid to global multilateral organisations rather than direct to recipient countries; and how much money this represents.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: In 2021 UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) was £11,496 million. Of this, 38.4 percent was delivered through core contributions to multilateral organisations (£4,411 million).Source: Statistics on International Development: Provisional UK Aid Spend 2021.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Sheehan: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take, if any, to prevent the forcible removal of Palestinians from Masafer Yatta, some of whom have deeds of ownership and have lived in the area prior to 1948.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is clear that in all but the most exceptional of circumstances, demolitions and evictions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. Our opposition to the demolition of Palestinian property and the evictions of Palestinians from their homes is long-standing. The practice causes unnecessary suffering to Palestinians and is harmful to efforts to promote peace. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation.

Ministry of Defence

USA: Nuclear Weapons

Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decision of the government of the United States to stop developing a sea-based nuclear launch capability, and of the impact of this on the UK’s defence policy.

Baroness Goldie: Nuclear capability decisions remain sovereign decisions and so it would be inappropriate for the UK to comment on specifics. We are content that the US Nuclear Posture Review does not contain any negative impacts for UK deterrence or national security.We welcome the US's continued commitment to the security of the NATO Alliance, and their actions to ensure that the Alliance's nuclear deterrent mission remains credible.

Department for Work and Pensions

Pension Funds: Investment

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Pensions Regulator regarding the use of Liability Driven Investment by pension funds.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk to individuals from the practice of Liability Driven Investment by pension funds.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: Individual member benefits were not at risk. The DB pension promise is ultimately the responsibility of the sponsoring employer and does not depend on the performance of the fund. The steep rise in gilt yields and subsequent market turmoil at the end of September did not result in any DB schemes being at risk of insolvency. If any schemes do suffer losses which result in a funding deficit, this can be addressed through investment returns and additional contributions from the sponsoring employer over a reasonable period.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Packaging: Recycling

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask His Majesty's Government whatsupport they are providing for the development of compostable potato starch bag packaging.

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask His Majesty's Government whatevaluation they have made of the commercial viability of the use of compostable potato starch bag packaging by government agencies.

Lord Benyon: HM Government is not currently providing any specific support for the development of compostable potato starch bag packaging and have not evaluated the commercial viability of using compostable potato starch bag packaging by government agencies. Through UK Research and Innovation, we have provided over £190 million to over 280 projects in the last 5 years, for research to help us reduce plastic waste and increase the sustainability of the plastic packaging we use. In light of evidence received in response to our call for evidence on bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastic, our focus is on working towards all plastic packaging being recyclable or reusable rather than compostable. Currently there is insufficient industrial composting capacity throughout England to manage compostable plastics at end of life and our call for evidence suggests these materials are often stripped out at the start of the process and landfilled or incinerated. This packaging also does not contribute to a circular economy in the same way as packaging that can be reused or recycled into new packaging or products do, as compostable plastic packaging is generally intended to be used once.

Lighting: Pollution

Lord Hylton: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of light pollution in towns and cities in England; and what steps they plan to take to support local authorities toreduce light pollution.

Lord Benyon: HM Government recognises that light pollution may have an impact on people and wildlife, affecting their health and wellbeing, as well as the environment. Through the 25 Year Environment Plan, we have committed to reducing all forms of pollution, including light pollution. Defra works with colleagues across HM Government whose policy areas affect the use of artificial light. The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that planning policies and decisions should limit the impact of light pollution on local amenity. This is supported by guidance which emphasises the importance of getting the right light in the right place at the right time, which helps local planners and developers to design in ways that avoid glare and intrusion. Decisions around lighting and reducing light pollution in towns and cities are best taken by local authorities within their specific context. HM Government has put in place a range of measures to ensure that light pollution is effectively managed through the statutory nuisance regime which means that, under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities have a duty to investigate complaints about light emitted from premises which could constitute a nuisance or be harmful to health and have powers to take action where there is a problem. The management of street lighting in towns and cities in England is the responsibility of local highway authorities, which have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the public highways in their charge, including street lighting. The Department for Transport encourages all local authorities to replace their street lighting with modern luminaires which can reduce light pollution.

Home Office

Immigration: Appeals

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask His Majesty's Government how manyapplications for UK immigrant status originally refused have been overturned on appeal since 2015; and what steps they are taking to reduce the numbers that are overturned.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: Data on appeal outcomes is published on a quarterly basis by HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). The latest statistics can be found on Tribunal Statistics Quarterly: April to June 2022 at Gov UK. Table FIA_3 contains the requested information.The Home Office seeks to defend immigration cases subject to an appeal where it is appropriate to do so, in line with the immigration legal framework and policies. In support of this aim and wider HMCTS reforms, a review function was introduced in 2019 which, through the Pre-Appeals Review team, determines the sustainability of decisions where an appeal has been lodged. Additionally, more Presenting Officers have been recruited in 2022 to ensure that those cases which do go before the courts benefit from a representative, and the number of unrepresented appeals is kept to a minimum.Furthermore, measures under the Nationality and Borders Act, including the enhanced one-stop provisions, will help ensure that individuals are encouraged and supported to bring forward all relevant information so that it can be considered in advance of any appeal.

Undocumented Migrants: English Channel

Lord Empey: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made, if any, of the amount of money that has been made by people trafficking migrants across the English Channel this year.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Government remains committed to tackling Organised Immigration Crime (OIC) and disrupting the Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) responsible. The Government and law enforcement agencies work tirelessly to tackle the criminal networks who facilitate people smuggling from source countries to Europe and then the UK, knowingly putting people in life-threatening situations. The NCA undertakes investigations into complex and serious OIC offences, arresting offenders in the UK and overseas and bringing them to justice.We also pursue those involved in the financial flows that support this activity. Using criminal powers in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, an individual can be prosecuted for money laundering offences if sufficient evidence is obtainable and CPS agree to charging, or civil powers within the same act permit the action to be taken against the money concerned. Both these approaches are used to undermine the financial flows supporting small boat and wider clandestine smuggling, both in the UK and with foreign partners.

Undocumented Migrants and Refugees

Lord Goddard of Stockport: To ask His Majesty's Government how many (1) undocumented migrants, and (2) refugees, entering the UK in the last five years were nationals of (a) European, (b) African, and (c) Asian countries.

Lord Goddard of Stockport: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the breakdown by (1) sex, and (2) age, of (a) undocumented migrants, and (b) refugees, who have arrived in the UK in each of the last five years.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: In your question we have interpreted ‘undocumented’ as meaning people who are detected entering the UK who do not carry valid documentation which entitles them to come to the UK, and therefore are termed ‘irregular’ arrivals.The Home Office publishes data on irregular arrivals to the UK in the quarterly Irregular Migration to the UK release which can be found on gov.uk. Data on small boat arrivals by nationality are published on gov.uk.If by ‘undocumented’ arrivals you meant undetected arrivals, we cannot provide this as by the very nature of these individuals going undetected, we hold no information on them. Please see the ‘About the statistics’ section of the Irregular Migration to the UK release on gov.uk for more information on what the statistics do and do not include.Information on asylum cases is published in the Immigration statistics quarterly release on gov.uk.

National Security

Lord Rennard: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the Minister for Security on 1 November (HC Deb col 791), whether the proposed new taskforce to protect parliament from being subverted by foreign powers will examine the funding of (1) think tanks, and (2) other organisations, seeking to influence public policy; and in particular, where such funding comes from (a) abroad, and (b) anonymous sources.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: As the Government set out in the Integrated Review, it will be essential to take a whole-of-society approach to resilience across the United Kingdom.The taskforce announced by the Minister for Security earlier this week will drive forward work to defend the democratic integrity of our country. It will work with Parliament, political parties, government departments, the security and intelligence agencies, the devolved Administrations and private sector to better protect our freedoms and institutions from a range of threats.I am not able to comment on the exact parameters or scope of the taskforce at this point, but I can assure Lord Rennard that work is taking place within Departments at pace to define exactly these points.In addition, national security is a priority for this Government, and there are already numerous workstreams underway to add resilience and robustness to our democracy, including the Defending Democracy programme established in 2019 and the National Security Bill.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Affordable Housing: Rents

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: To ask His Majesty's Government, given the current definition of affordable housing in the National Planning Policy Framework, whether they consider that rents set at 80 per cent of market rates should continue to be described as 'affordable rent' when this represents more than a third of the income of the average tenant in such accommodation.

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to calculate the affordability of housing on the basis of the income of potential tenants.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: There are no plans to change the definition of affordable housing set out in the National Planning Policy Framework. The definition makes it clear that 80% is the ceiling that social housing providers have to meet in order for it to be classified as affordable housing for rent, but can be set lower in order to meet the needs of local residents.Social Rent is a tenure which is already assessed based on local earnings. It is calculated by using 30% of the property's relative value (based back to 1999), 70% of the relative local income levels (based back to 1999) and applying a weighting based on the number of bedrooms so that smaller properties will have lower rents.Our Levelling Up White Paper commits to increasing the number of social rent homes.

Windrush Generation: Finance

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government how manyorganisations (1) applied for, and (2) received funding from, the 2022 Windrush Day Grant Scheme in 2022.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The 2022 Windrush Day Grant Scheme was launched on Wednesday 9 February 2022. 198 eligible applications were received for the scheme. The former DLUHC Minister, Kemi Badenoch MP, approved funding to 35 charities, community groups and local authorities in England Thanks to our funding, events took place on Windrush Day (22 June) and throughout the year, helping to remember and recognise the leading role that the Windrush generation and their descendants played in making Britain stronger, prosperous, and culturally richer. The full list of funded projects can be found here.2022 Windrush Day Grant Scheme list (docx, 25.1KB)

Refugees: Ukraine

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking toprevent homelessness amongst Ukrainian refugees in the UK.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, we would like as many sponsors as possible to extend their sponsorship beyond six-months and we are providing guidance for those who cannot continue sponsoring. At the 4-month mark we are writing to sponsors and guests about the options available to them, helping them to plan their next steps.To support Ukrainians that want to stay in sponsorships for a longer period, but with a different host, we are enabling a process of rematching and will continue to develop our bank of potential sponsors. We are also helping guests to live independently by supporting them in developing necessary language skills and finding jobs.For arrivals under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, the Government is providing funding per person to councils to enable them to provide support to individuals and families, including in the minority of cases where someone is left without accommodation. This tariff to support the delivery of services is the same across the whole of the UK.Further to the above, we have provided councils in England with £316 million this year to help prevent and meet the costs of homelessness. Homelessness is a devolved matter.

Northern Ireland Office

Civil Servants: Northern Ireland

Lord Empey: To ask His Majesty's Government whatareas of discretion are available to Northern Ireland civil servants in the absence of Ministers.

Lord Caine: People in Northern Ireland deserve locally-elected decision-makers who are working for them, to address the issues that matter most to people who live there. As such, I am particularly disappointed at the serious situation that the lack of an Executive has left the people of Northern Ireland facing.The Government recognises that the Court of Appeal ruling in Buick in July 2018 made clear that Northern Ireland Executive (NIE) Departments cannot take decisions that would normally require the control and direction of a Minister and/or the approval of the NI Executive.Civil servants do not have the legal authority to tackle these issues and in the absence of an Executive, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland intends to introduce legislation which will clarify the powers Northern Ireland Departments have to support public service delivery, make a small number of vital public appointments and set a Budget for Northern Ireland for this financial year.

Health Services: Northern Ireland

Lord Empey: To ask His Majesty's Government what contingency plansthey are putting in place to provide UK ministerial oversight and accountability for the delivery of health services in Northern Ireland this winter, in the event that there are no ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive.

Lord Caine: People in Northern Ireland deserve locally-elected decision-makers who are working for them, to address the issues that matter most to people who live there. As such, I am particularly disappointed at the serious situation that the lack of an Executive has left the people of Northern Ireland facing, including the growing pressure on health services and a concerning financial overspend situation with no clear strategy for balancing the budget.The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has already met the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Jayne Brady, to discuss this and will continue to meet a range of Northern Ireland stakeholders over the coming weeks to understand the pressures facing health and all public services. The extent of the financial pressures alongside the limitations on Northern Ireland departments to take action to bring spending under control will have serious consequences for public services. The Secretary of State outlined to Parliament on Wednesday 9 November that he will introduce legislation to enable Northern Ireland departments to support the delivery of health and other public services.

Public Services: Northern Ireland

Lord Empey: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect on the delivery of public services in Northern Ireland of the absence of Departmental Ministers.

Lord Caine: People in Northern Ireland deserve locally-elected decision-makers who are working for them, to address the issues that matter most to people who live there. The failure of the parties to form an Executive is particularly disappointing given the serious situation the people of Northern Ireland are facing, particularly the £660 million black hole left in Northern Ireland’s finances.The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has already met the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Jayne Brady, to discuss this and will continue to meet a range of Northern Ireland stakeholders over the coming weeks to understand the pressures facing public services. The extent of the financial pressures alongside the limitations on Northern Ireland departments to take action to bring spending under control will have serious consequences for public services. As such, the Secretary of State outlined to Parliament on Wednesday 9 November that he will introduce legislation to enable Northern Ireland departments to support public service delivery and address the serious budgetary issues.

Cost of Living: Northern Ireland

Lord Hay of Ballyore: To ask His Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive in relation to tackling the increased cost of living.

Lord Caine: The Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office, Steve Baker MP, recently met the former Northern Ireland Minister for the Economy, Gordon Lyons. They discussed a range of topics and it was made clear that a restored Northern Ireland Executive will allow decisions to be taken by locally elected politicians, including on crucial issues such as the cost of living. The UK Government is committed to helping households this winter and that is why, despite the absence of an Executive, Northern Ireland households will receive a package of support including the Energy Bills Support Scheme, Energy Price Guarantee, Energy Bill Relief Scheme and funding for off-grid households. These measures are once again clear evidence of the benefits that Northern Ireland gains from being an integral part of a strong United Kingdom

Ministers: Northern Ireland

Lord Empey: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to secure the return of Ministers to Northern Ireland Departments.

Lord Caine: As my Right Honourable Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland set out in his Parliamentary Statement on 9 November, he will be introducing legislation to provide a short, straightforward extension to the period for Executive formation, as set out in the Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petition of Concern) Act 2022. This will extend the current period by 6 weeks to 8 December - with the potential for a further six-week extension if necessary. This creates the time and space needed for talks between the UK and EU to develop and for the Northern Ireland parties to work together to restore the devolved institutions as soon as possible.

Safety: Northern Ireland

Lord Empey: To ask His Majesty's Government how public safety in Northern Ireland will be secured in the absence of Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive.

Lord Caine: The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) continues to work to keep the people of Northern Ireland safe. The Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Policing Board remain in place and provide independent oversight of the PSNI.Ongoing work by the PSNI and security partners means that most people in Northern Ireland are not directly affected by the SUBSTANTIAL terrorist threat. Where terrorism and paramilitary style attacks endure, so too will our efforts to tackle them.The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will be introducing legislation to provide a short, straightforward extension to the period for Executive formation. This creates the time and space needed for talks between the UK and EU to develop and for the Northern Ireland parties to work together to restore the devolved institutions as soon as possible. The legislation will also enable Northern Ireland Departments to support public service delivery in the absence of Ministers.

Treasury

Domestic Visits: Northern Ireland

Lord Rogan: To ask His Majesty's Government howmany times the Prime Minister visited Northern Ireland when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Baroness Penn: The Prime Minister did not carry out any official visits to Northern Ireland during his time as Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Rt Hon Lucy Frazer KC MP, visited Northern Ireland on 1st June 2022.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Third Sector: Finance

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government how much money they have spentin the last 12 months on funding third-sector organisations that help (1) children, and (2) vulnerable groups.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Third-sector organisations work with a range of different government departments across a variety of issues and topics. As such, DCMS does not hold central data on all spending to third-sector organisations from across His Majesty’s Government.Annual statistics for all grants distributed by HM Government can, however, be found on GOV.UK here. As well as providing a general overview, the site allows users to search for grants awarded to charities, by downloading the latest grants statistical tables and filtering by a charity’s registered number.